The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-07-18
PROHIBITION A FAILURE.
Results of Years Experiment in the State OF
Rhode Island.
Providence Journal.

providence
Whatever may be the cause causes, it can
not be denied that prohibition in Rhode Island,
after years experience, is found to oe so COM
plete failure that it is no extravaeance to pro-
nounce it a miserable farce. 1t has not, even ap-
proximatelv, prohibited the use of intoxicating
liquor; it is not to-day resulting in any percepti
Bile dminution of drunkenness as compared with
former years. It is true that, taking the State
a whole. the numb Der of arrests for druken-
ness and kindred offenses has been somewhat
smaller during the first twelve months Of Drohi-
bition than during the last twelve of license.
But no broad inference can be drawn from that
fact az to what the law is now doing or is here
after to do. During the first few months after
the law went into effect uncertainty aud fear
seen in the police records and materially dimn
ishes the years arrests. But now that the sell
ers have taken courage from experience the
case is far different. Drunkenness fell off con-
siderably last summer, but since then it has
been increasing throughout the State. In
Providence, for example, the arrests for drunk
enness during the first three months of prohibi-
ton were about 90 per cent. less than during
the corresponding period under license. But
now they are only about 25 per cent. less. and
the daily average Is fast rising to that OF
former years. In Pawtucket, also, the
present proportion of drunkenness to all
criminal offenses is actually greater than it was
under the license law In Lincoln, measured
by the arrests, the of intoxicating liquor has
increased fve-fold in twelve months, while in
Newport, where, perhaps. prohibition comes
nearer being a success than in any other popu-
lous portion of the State, drunkenness has not
only alarmingly increased of Late but the pro.
portion OF offenses growing out Of liquor drink
ing to the total number of all arrests is actually
three per cent. greater than it was a year ago
under the license law. similar condition is
found throuehout the State, except in those few
towns whore lquor-selline was never common.
The use of intoxicants is extensive now it
ever Prohibition at the present time is
doing nothing to raise the moral tone OF the
community.
Yet despite the we'll known fact that dealing
in the forbidden article is carried freely. all
attempts to stop it have gradually been given
There is evidence in the reports from any
town that the chief of State police is or has
been of the slightest assistance in the enforce
mont of the law, and the prosecutions made by
local officials could almost be counted the
fingers OK one hand. TIE seeming impossibility
of securing convictions has evidently discour-
aged the city and town officials, and the
spasmodic attempts at enforcement which
were seen last summer and fall have all
over the State given place to inaction. The re-
suit is of course that the LIQUOR business, freed
from all regulation molestatiou, had grown
steadily during the year. and to-day there
known to be in the city of Providence alone at
least thirtyn more places whero liquor is sold
under some arrangement than there
licensed saloons under the old law. A similar
increase in drin king places is found in Johnston,
Warwick, and elsewhere; and in general 1t may
be safely said of the whole State that there are
at least as many LIQUOR dealers doing business
to-day as there were under the license system.